Platform for cross-border investigations set to advance prosecution of Ukraine war crimes

Today the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) adopted a report, drafted by Renew Europe’s First Vice-President Malik Azmani, on the establishment of a cooperation platform to provide technical support to the parties involved in Joint Investigation Teams (JITs).

JITs bring together prosecutors, police and judges from different countries to coordinate cross-border investigations and swiftly conclude prosecutions. A secure and safe electronic collaboration platform to exchange information in cross-border investigations will significantly speed up the work of the investigation teams.

Rapporteur Malik Azmani (VVD, Netherlands) emphasises “The first time participation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the JIT investigating war crimes in Ukraine shows that international coordination and information exchange for the gravest of crimes will become increasingly important.”

Renew Europe wants to enable the ICC to use the JIT collaboration platform to exchange information and evidence on war crimes in Ukraine.

He continues: “If we already had the collaboration platform in place, we could have more easily facilitated the cooperation between the involved parties of the Joint Investigation Teams on the war crimes committed in Ukraine.

Instead of having prosecutors and police officers sending each other USB-sticks or e-mails containing evidence, we need a safe, swift and secure platform for exchanging information in cross-border investigations. And it should be up and running sooner rather than later. Renew Europe pushed to speed up the start of the operations of the JITs collaboration platform with one year: instead of 2026 to the 1st January 2025.”